Regret
by appleslovetea
Summary: Asami and Akihito have broken up, but they don't seem to be dealing with the situation as well as they would hope.
1. PART I

**Regret**

* * *

At some point he realized it started raining, although he didn't recall exactly when.

For a few seconds he got distracted watching the pedestrians running for cover as the rain turned into hail, but his stare soon returned to the entrance of the office building close to where his limo had stopped.

More and more people were exiting the building now, which made sense to him given the time of day. If it weren't for the dark clouds covering the sky he was sure there would be a nice sunset colouring it at the moment.

He watched random strangers laughing and cracking jokes at each other before bidding goodbye to one another for the day, most of which he noticed were carrying backpacks, making him wonder whether they were concealing cameras in them as well.

Deep down he knew that the situation he was in was nothing short of pathetic and foolish and that he shouldn't be feeding such a stupid weakness.

It was completely out of character for him, but the truth was he just couldn't help it.

Something definitely had shifted within him recently and it had been so subtle that he only came to realize it when it was already too late to do anything about it. He now knew he'd been infected though, and that there was no cure for the malice that was eating his heart out and consuming his soul.

That's why he kept coming back to that place...

The first time he'd told Kirishima to drive by that street he'd tried to convince himself that he just wanted to check up on the kid; see how he was doing, that sort of thing. The situation between them had ended so bitterly after all... The kid had been a complete wreck the last time they had seen each other.

But then he found himself asking Kirishima the exact same thing a few days later, and then a few days after that, until it ended up becoming a weekly event.

It wasn't long though before the assistant was forced to make the detour almost on a daily basis, before driving him to the office.

Kirishima always stopped at a safe distance from the news' office building and stayed there for ten to fifteen minutes, until he was told to drive off.

Asami never got out of the car though, or did anything to make his presence known to the youngster. He was however painfully aware his self-imposed restrain was getting harder and harder to maintain.

"Asami-sama..." Kirishima called out to him from the driver's seat. "Perhaps he has already left for the day..."

His boss's voice was neutral when he replied. He had never been one to openly display his emotions after all. "I'll wait a few more minutes."

No sooner the words left his mouth than the entrance doors to the building slid open and out came the subject of his musings, accompanied by another young man.

His colleague must have been telling him a funny story, because the youngster soon burst out laughing, so much so that he had to lift a hand to his stomach to try to calm himself down.

Asami watched the duo as they stood below the building's awning, seemingly waiting for the hail to die down, and had to fight the urge to get out of the limo, walk towards his former lover and possessively kiss him right then and there.

He figured that the young man somehow ended up feeling he was being watched, because he suddenly turned his face towards the limo; a hint of surprise clearly visible in his eyes.

Asami reacted instantly, ordering Kirishima to drive off at once.

It was only when the limo had turned the corner, that Asami realized that his heart was beating uncontrollably.

He raised a hand to his chest massaging away the uncomfortable feeling plaguing him.

He knew that if he didn't do anything about it soon, he'd go insane.

* * *

Akihito stood staring at the place where the limo had been parked on, long after it drove off in a hurry.

He was so surprised to see the limo there for the third time that week that he was sure it had somehow ended up showing on his face.

Maybe that was why the limo had driven off more quickly that day. Great! Now Asami probably knew he was aware he was being stalked.

"Hey Takaba!" His colleague called out beside him, bringing him back to the present. "Are you even listening?"

Akihito cracked an apologetic smile at him, clearly showing himself guilty. "Sorry... Mind repeating the last part?"

As his friend resumed the joke he was telling, Akihito realized that his heart was beating like crazy against his breast bone.

He held up a palm above his t-shirt feeling the erratic beats even thru the fabric.

Deep down he knew he had to do something about this whole situation with Asami... Otherwise he was sure he was going to go insane.

* * *

**A/N:** Hi there :) I kinda wrote this as a quick one-shot, but if you think it is worth it I can make it into a two-shot. Let me know if you'd like to read more. Bye ;)


	2. PART II

**Regret**

**PART II**

* * *

(3 months before)

To say the situation between them was tense would be an understatement.

The truth was that it had been tense for quite some time, yet Asami had consciously decided to ignore the seriousness of it, brushing it off as just another phase. Akihito was known to have them after all, and so the older man comforted himself by thinking that this one would soon also pass.

He wasn't able to ignore it that night though…

"You're blocking the way to the door." A bitter Akihito snapped at him.

The young man was standing in front of Asami with the biggest resolve the latter had seen him bore so far. His eyes were fierce, almost wild-looking, and he kept shifting his weight from one foot to the other as if he was ready to attack at any moment.

Asami felt his chest muscles unexpectedly tightening. The case was worse than he'd anticipated. He had a strange feeling he was very close to losing the youngster.

"I _said,_ you're blo-"

"I'm well aware I'm blocking the way to the door."

"Then _MOVE_!"

If there was one thing Asami Ryuuichi couldn't stand it was to be bossed around and he was pretty sure that if any other person in the world would have spoken to him in such a tone, he or she would be having a love affair with the floor tiles right about then.

Given that the subject in question was Akihito, his reaction ended up being more controlled, though not without some effort on his part.

Asami took a deep breath before speaking again, making sure that the youngster realized thru his eyes and manner, that he was not to be spoken in those terms again.

"Calm yourself down, will you? You're being unreasonable."

This time he heard Akihito laugh. "_I'm_ being unreasonable? !" The young man retorted. "Of course you'd think I'm the one with the problem… Just get out of the way, Asami."

Akihito made a move to walk past the older man, but Asami was quicker, grabbing him by the arm in a tight grip.

"Let-Go." Was Akihito's immediate response.

"Not unless you tell me _why_ you are doing this. Why do you want to leave?"

The youngster's reply was short, mechanical and seemingly deprived of emotions, which only managed to infuriate Asami even further.

"I'm fed up with you." Akihito confessed.

"Liar! Give me the _real_ reason."

When he was greeted with nothing but silence, Asami tightened his grip on the youngster's arm even more.

"Akihito." He demanded.

"I'm not lying…" The young man finally said, his voice so low it sounded distorted. "I'm sick of being treated like I'm just another toy to you."

"_What_? What are you talking about?"

"You don't care about anyone but yourself, Asami. You're so cold you don't pay attention to anything around you. You just use people to get what you want. Like we are all your chess pawns. I can't keep doing this. I can't allow you to toy with me anymore. I want out."

His bitter yet sincere words hit Asami like a well-placed punch. He moved his hands to Akihito's shoulders forcing the youngster to look up at him.

"When have I treated you like a toy? Huh, when? Why would you think you are just a toy to me?"

He could tell Akihito was on the verge of tears by then, but the youngster still held his stance bravely. His next words though, really shook Asami's core.

"What am I to you then?" The young man asked unexpectedly.

Asami might as well have been asked what the meaning of life on Earth was. He sure looked dumbfounded enough as if he had.

He had surely been surprised by the question, but it turned out he was even more surprised by the fact that he couldn't seem to articulate a proper answer for it.

He looked back at Akihito eventually, noticing the younger man's eyes growing more sad and disappointed as the seconds went by in silence.

"What are you to me?" Asami repeated quietly, slackening his hold on Akihito, who took advantage of the situation to break free from his grasp.

"See?...I'm nothing to you." The young man said with a bitter smile, backing away towards the front door of the apartment.

Asami had to mentally slap himself out of his stupor. "Wait. I want you to stay."

"Why?"

Shit. _Why_? Why was his head screaming at him to stop Akihito from leaving the apartment? Why couldn't he figure out why he wanted the youngster to stay by his side?

"…I don't know why." Asami answered truthfully, seeing a tear finally escape Akihito's eyes...

* * *

It was the sound of his iPhone going off that put an end to his dream.

Suppressing a tired yawn, he stretched an arm towards the bedside table, picking up the infernal contraption and bringing it over to his ear.

"Yes?"

"Asami-sama?" He recognized his assistant's voice instantly.

"I thought I told you not to wake me up before noon."

"W-Well, yes sir. You see, it's already past two in the afternoon."

Asami frowned, peeking thru half-open eyelids at the alarm clock on top of the bedside table. 2:15 p.m. _Shit_! He'd slept in _again_.

"Asami-sama?"

"Yes, go ahead." Asami said, sitting up in bed.

"It's about tomorrow's fund raising gala for the new city hospital…"

Double shit! Asami had completely forgotten about the thing. He was meant to attend it as one of the main fund contributors, though he was far from being in the mood for any social gatherings of the sort as of late.

"What about it?" He asked, trying not to sound as bored as he truly felt.

"I was contacted by a representative of the Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper this morning. It seems the newspaper is doing a vast article on the fund raising gala and they would like to interview some of its major contributors."

"No."

"But Asami-sama…"

"Forget it, I hate the stuff. Tell them to go bother someone else."

"It's just a short interview, Asami-sama, with maybe a couple of pictures to feature alongside the article."

"Kirishima, I said _no_."

"But think about the publicity opportunity, Asami-sama. It would be a fantastic chance to promote the new nightclub!"

Oh, triple shit! Couldn't Asami just go back to sleep and wake up in a week's time?

The older man sighed tiredly against the iPhone, trying not to curse out loud before he answered his assistant. "Can you guarantee me the interview will be short? Half-an-hour tops. Otherwise I'll leave the reporter hanging."

Kirishima was more than happy to oblige. "Yes, sir. I'll deal with all the specifications of the interview. You won't have to worry about a thing."

"…When is the newspaper planning to send someone for the interview then?"

"This afternoon. They want the interview to go along with tomorrow's report on the fund raising gala, to cause more impact on the readers. I can clear your schedule from 7 to 8 pm this afternoon, if you'd like."

"Whatever. That's fine."

"Just one more thing sir…"

It was clear by Kirishima's tone that his boss was not going to like what he was about to say.

"_What_?"

"The newspaper representative requested for the interview to be held at your apartment."

This time Asami _did_ curse out loud. Not that Kirishima hadn't expected it.

"The newspaper is trying to have the donnors' portrayed in a more down to earth manner, to make them more relatable to the readers." He quickly explained to his boss. "They want to take a few photos of you in your own home, to show you in a more approachable manner than let's say, if the interview was held at your office."

"Kirishima…"

"Think about the positive publicity opportunity, Asami-sama…"

The older man sighed in defeat. "Half-an-hour, Kirishima. The reporter has half-an-hour. One more minute and he or she goes out the windows."

"Yes, sir." His subordinate replied, taking his boss's words very seriously. "I'll call you back shortly with some extra details." He added, just before hanging up.

Asami stared at the iPhone's blank screen for a couple of seconds after that, as a thought suddenly formed in his mind.

The Yomiuri Shimbun newspaper? Akihito's photo agency frequently worked with that newspaper. What if…?

He quickly dismissed the thought though; a bitter smile appearing in his lips as a result. What was he thinking? That Akihito would willingly show up at his doorstep to take his picture for the news article? What a fool he was!

Kicking the bed sheets to the side, Asami quickly jumped out of bed making his way to the bathroom.

A cold shower would no doubt get his mind off of the youngster… or so he hoped.

* * *

(That afternoon – at Akihito's news' agency)

Akihito was packing his camera for the day, when he heard his boss's voice calling out to him from inside his office.

The young man made his way there with a quick stride, wondering what the old man would want from him as such a late hour.

"Ah, Takaba!" The man exclaimed as soon as he heard Akihito's footsteps inside the office. "Shut the door behind you, will you?" He asked, not lifting his eyes from the pile of photos he held in his hands.

"What's up, boss?"

"You've worked with Matsumoto Megumi before, haven't you?" His boss asked, finally looking at the youngster from behind the thick lenses of his glasses.

"The socialite reporter from Yomiuri Shimbun? Yeah, sure. A few times."

"Great! She just called me a few seconds ago with a last minute assignment. She's doing a small interview to accompany the newspaper article regarding tomorrow's big fundraising event for the new children's hospital and asked if you were available to take some pictures."

"Sure, boss. When's the gig?"

"In forty minutes…" The man said, as if the short notice was the most natural thing in the world to him. "She's driving here to pick you up as we speak."

"Wow, that's ok I guess." Akihito said, not really wanting to say no to his boss. He supposed that after two years at the agency he should be accustomed to the last minute gigs that his boss was so found of throwing at him from time to time.

"So where's the interview? What's it about?"

"Some rich fella's home." The old man said, shrugging casually. "It won't take you very long. Half-an-hour max. The guy's assistant was pretty adamant about the deadline. You know how these rich fella's are? Always busy. They have very little time to spare to us common mortals. Oh, here's the address in case Matsumoto gets lost. I heard from Mitarai she has no sense of direction when driving."

Akihito picked up the post-it note from his boss's desk, but as soon as his eyes swept thru its contents he felt the blood in his veins freeze.

"This can't be right." He said, as he painfully recognized the address, not realizing he'd just spoken out loud.

"What did you say?" His boss enquired, though Akihito's paid little attention to him; his eyes still glued to the address on the post-it note.

"Oh, I noted down the guy's name as well. Give me a second." The old man added, rummaging thru the mess of loose papers on top of his desk. "Ah, here it is. Asami Ryuuichi. I think he's the guy who owns a bunch of nightclubs and hotels around Tokyo… He'll probably use the interview to publicize a new business project. Smart ass!"

"I-I can't do this gig."

Akihito's remark made his boss frown instantly. "Why the hell not? You were fine with it a second ago. What's the matter all of a sudden?"

The young man tried his best to sound natural though he was very much aware he was failing miserably. "I-I was just on my way home for the day. Can't someone cover for me just this once?"

"…Takaba, you know how important to the agency our partnership with Yomiuri Shimbun is…" The old man said, taking his glasses off for a moment. "I am in no position to say no to them, especially when they've made a specific request for one of my photo journalists... I can't say I'm not surprised by your request though. You've never refused work before." He stated, staring at Akihito more intently. "Is something wrong, Takaba? Are you acquainted with the man you are supposed to photograph by any chance?"

Acquainted? Akihito thought bitterly. If sleeping with him for the better part of the last two years qualified as being acquainted, then Akihito sure as hell was.

"Never mind, boss." The youngster replied nevertheless, quickly snapping out of his musings. "I'll get those photos for you." He said, just before leaving his boss's office, thus preventing the old man from asking any further questions.

It was only when Akihito got inside the elevator to meet up with the reported on the building's lobby that he realized he was shaking.

He gave a quick glance at his reflection in the elevator's mirror, noticing how pale he had become all of a sudden.

To say he didn't welcome the chance of meeting up with Asami again would be a lie.

He truly wanted to make sure that things between them were definitely over, and that the older man had put their affair behind him for good, so that Akihito could finally move on with his life.

But he always thought that he would have a little more time to prepare himself for the encounter.

Akihito glanced at the mirror one last time, before the elevator's doors opened behind him.

He had to find the courage inside him to face Asami somehow, even if that meant lying to his own heart.

**(To be continued…)**

* * *

**A/N:** And the two-shot just became a three-shot lol Hurray! Thank you very much for your comments and interest in the story :) I hope it will not disappoint. See you on the next chapter! ;)


	3. PART III

**A/N:** Hi! Thanks for your feedback and interest in the story :) It's turning out a lot longer and with a lot more twists than I had first anticipated, but I'm enjoying writing it a lot, so hopefully you will enjoy reading it too. Forget about the three-shot though. I think this story is going to be a loooong one lol. Until the next chapter! ;)

**Regret**

**PART III**

* * *

"You're awfully quiet today, Akihito-kun." The woman observed.

Akihito fidgeted in the car seat beside her, suddenly aware he hadn't paid attention to anything the reporter had been blabbering about.

"Sorry…What was it you were saying?

"I asked if you know anything about the guy we're going to interview, Asami Ryuuichi."

"No…Not really." Akihito lied, noticing how easily Matsumoto-san bought into it.

"I'm not surprised. The guy tends to avoid the press at all costs. Our newspaper has been trying to get an interview with him for ages. I'm amazed myself Asami-san agreed to today's interview… Then again, if I was him, I'd probably want to avoid the press as much as possible too..."

"What do you mean?"

The young woman averted her eyes from the road for a few seconds to look at Akihito intently, seeming to ponder whether or not to share the information.

"Well… they're just rumors really, but the word on the street is that Asami-san deals in the black market. He uses his clubs and hotels just as a legal front for his underworld business. They say his fortune is worth billions and that he deals in illegal gun trafficking."

Akihito found himself smiling bitterly at her words. Whoever _they_ were, they were most definitely right.

"Of course, there are far more appealing aspects about him, than just his fortune." Matsumoto-san continued, a wide grin appearing on her lips all of a sudden.

When Akihito stared at her confused by her comment, she laughed.

"I suppose you've never seen him in person? Let me tell you Akihito-kun, Asami Ryuuichi is most definitely God's gift to women. I confess I've only seen him on a couple of social occasions before, but boy was I impressed! A fine piece of man that guy is. Always impeccably dressed, oozing style and stamina out of every pore. And that body… What a temple!" Matsumoto-san explained; a slight dreamy tone noticeable in her voice. "But what am I saying? I'm sorry, Akihito-kun. I must be boring you to tears…"

"No. That's ok." Akihito replied, pretending to adjust the lens on his camera and hoping the reporter wouldn't notice the blush that suddenly appeared over his cheeks.

"You know, my team has this private joke between us at the office where we say that Asami Ryuuichi is so good looking he's able to turn any man that comes 5 feet from him completely gay... What a silly bunch we are!" She laughed, failing to see Akihito's cheeks turn crimson.

"Hmm…I should be making a left turn here somewhere, shouldn't I?"

"It's the first exit to the left after the roundabout." Akihito blurted out, hoping to change the direction of the conversation.

"Oh, really?" Matsumoto-san asked relieved. She had been fearing for a few minutes now that she'd gotten them lost. "Do you know this area?"

"Y-Yeah. I've done a few photograph gigs around here." Akihito said, lying again. What was he supposed to say though? That he had lived in the building they were heading to for almost two years of his life?

"I wonder if he'll be willing to answer a few questions about his personal life." He heard the reporter mumble.

"Who?"

"Oh, did I say that out loud?" She smiled apologetically. "I meant, Asami-san. I was hoping to add a couple of personal questions to the interview. You know, just to spice the article up. I wonder if he'd be willing to answer them…"

"_Don't count on it_." Akihito thought in reply.

"There isn't much information about his personal life going about. Well, apart from the failed marriage of course, but that's old news."

"_What_? !" Akihito nearly screamed, making Matsumoto-san turn to look at him with a frown.

"Asami-san… was married?" He asked a couple of seconds later, in a calmer tone.

"Yes, but that was ages ago. If I recall correctly, it happened in his early twenties. He only stayed married for a couple of months though. If I remember correctly from his file, the marriage was annulled. To what the annulment was due though, no one really knows."

Akihito felt the muscles around his chest tighten painfully. Asami had been married? ! How come he'd never found out about it? He remembered doing a thorough research on Asami's life years ago, around the time he'd first heard about the older man's existence, but the word "marriage" had never popped up anywhere in association with his former lover.

Matsumoto-san ended up answering that question for him.

"It seems Asami-san paid a lot of money to remove the initial marriage registration from any official records." She continued. "You wouldn't find any information regarding it at this point, even if you were a skilled detective. I myself only stumbled upon the info by pure chance."

"…W-Who was he married to?" Akihito asked, only to have the female reporter shrug beside him in response.

"No idea. There is a lot of speculation on the subject, of course. But one thing is known for sure…"

"What?..."

"Asami-san's former wife was the one who lent him the money for him to open his first club…"

"Huh? !" Akihito exclaimed completely shocked, just as Matsumoto-san turned a corner and a huge expensive looking apartment building appeared right in front of the car.

"Finally! Here we are." She exclaimed, relieved.

* * *

What happened between the time Akihito exited the car and entered the elevator inside the building's lobby was pretty much a blur in his mind.

He had an odd feeling he'd tried his best to hide behind Matsumoto-san as she was announcing herself to the building's concierge, afraid the old man would recognize him in some way, but that was about it.

The surprising piece of information he'd just found out about Asami's past wouldn't stop tormenting his brain, even though he knew there was no point in letting it affect him at this stage.

Everything was already over between the two of them, after all. What was the big deal in Asami having hid from him the fact he'd been married before? As Matsumoto-san had very truthfully mentioned, the fact had happened ages ago.

Even so, the situation made Akihito immediately wonder what else had the older man also "hidden" from his knowledge during their two yearlong love affair.

Akihito didn't have much time to dwell on dark thoughts though. Soon the elevator doors opened on the penthouse floor of the building and before he knew it Matsumoto-san was ringing the bell of a painfully familiar front door.

He waited in anticipation, dreading what was to come, but the seconds went by and no movement reached them from the other side of the door. The whole floor was in fact terribly quiet.

"That's odd." The reporter said, checking her wristwatch. "It's exactly the appointed time for the interview." She added, ringing the bell once again.

A few more seconds went by in silence, after which Matsumoto-san tried knocking directly on the heavy wooden door.

A small glimpse of hope fired up deep inside Akihito's chest. "Maybe no one's in." He suggested. Knowing Asami, it wasn't that farfetched to assume he'd just stood up the reporter.

It turned out his hope was short lived. After one last fierce attempt by Matsumoto-san at knocking on the door, they both clearly heard steps approaching it from within the apartment, and sure enough it wasn't long before the sound of a lock being opened echoed thru the hall.

Akihito barely had time to catch his breath before the front door swung inwards and Kirishima-san appeared into view.

Asami's assistant noticed the reporter first.

"Ah, you must be Matsumoto Megumi from Yomiuri Shimbun. We spoke earlier on the phone. I am Asami-sama's assistant Kirishima Rei." He said, bowing respectfully.

"Yes, I'm Matsumoto. How do you do?" She greeted, returning the bow. "Please let me introduce the photographer accompanying me today. This is Takaba Akihito from Midori Photograph Agency."

Kirishima sprang upright as soon as he heard Akihito's name being mentioned; his eyes practically flying out of their sockets in shock as he finally acknowledged the younger man's presence.

"Huh…Taka-… Huh…" He mumbled incoherently.

In some other situation, Akihito was sure he would have found it quite amusing to see Asami's assistant without a clue on how to approach a situation, but he figured today was not the case.

"Nice to meet you, Kirishima-san." Akihito greeted, bowing to him as if they had never met before, thus putting an end to the assistant's dilemma, who quickly greeted him back in much the same way.

That didn't stop Kirishima from acting awkwardly though, as he rushed both reporter and photographer inside the apartment.

"If you wouldn't mind," He started, as soon as he closed the front door behind them. "I need to address an urgent matter with Asami-sama before letting you in for the interview. It will only take a couple of minutes." He explained, unable to prevent his eyes from lingering on Akihito far longer than expected.

"Sure. Take your time." Matsumoto-san quickly replied, unaware of the drama unfolding around her. "We'll just take the chance to admire the artwork." She said, pointing to the several paintings decorating the hall's walls, some of which Akihito himself had helped put up.

It took about five minutes for Kirishima to return, period of time in which Akihito could do nothing but try to get his heart to stop beating as erratically as it was doing now.

It had been three months since he'd last seen Asami in person, and that last meeting, in that very same hallway where he was standing now, didn't exactly fill him with warm and fuzzy memories.

Things between them had ended abruptly and bitterly and to be honest, even though he had spotted Asami's limo outside his office building numerous times after their break-up, Akihito wasn't really sure how the older man was going to react to his presence.

He was quickly brought back to the present though, when he heard Kirishima clearing his throat in an attempt to get his boss's guests attention.

"Asami-sama will see you now. This way please." The assistant said, motioning towards the living room.

"Great. Come, Takaba-kun." Matsumoto-san said cheerfully, following right behind Kirishima.

As for Akihito, he practically had to yell at his legs to move. He was very conscious that he was about to break into a cold sweat and that he was gripping the sides of his camera so fiercely that his knuckles were about to turn white.

He expected to see Asami as soon as he walked into the living room, yet unexpectedly that did not end up being the case. Asami was nowhere to be seen.

That didn't seem to bother Yomiuri Shimbun's reporter though.

"Oh, this room is absolutely exquisite. So carefully decorated!" She exclaimed, clearly in awe of her surroundings. "Asami-san is clearly a man of impeccable taste."

The voice that replied to her made Akihito's breath get caught in his lungs.

"Thank you for the compliment, but I can't take the credit for the décor. Most pieces belonged to the previous owner of the apartment." Asami said, stepping into the room from the adjacent balcony, which sliding doors Akihito had failed to notice until that point had been opened.

The moment his eyes fell on the older man's frame, Akihito found himself unable to look away. For a fraction of a second he thought it was funny how his brain was trying to pinpoint any diferences between the Asami he was seeing now and the one lodge in his memory from three months ago.

Akihito only half registered the fact that Matsumoto-san was introducing herself to Asami, using her full blown socialite reporter charm on him. Only when the introductions turned to him, did he become once again alert of his surroundings.

The initiative came yet again from Matsumoto-san. "Asami-san, please let me introduce you to today's photographer, Taka-"

"Yes, I know." Asami cut her off, albeit politely, as he turned his gaze towards Akihito for the first time since entering the room. "Takaba Akihito… Nice to meet you." He greeted; a strange tone noticeable in his voice, as the intensity of his gaze on the younger man grew deeper.

As Akihito bowed in return, he could feel his heart starting to beat uncontrollably once again.

He could only hope that the next half hour would fly by in a hurry.

Deep down though, he had a strange feeling that that wasn't going to be the case.

**(to be continued…)**


	4. PART IV

A/N: Many apologies for taking so long to update this story, and sorry as well for the short chapter :(

**Regret**

**PART IV**

* * *

It turned out that the best way Akihito found to deal with the awkward situation he was in was to try to get himself hammered.

Luckily for him, the expensive port wine that Kirishima served five minutes into the interview seemed to be doing just the trick.

Four glasses of the stuff and Akihito was already seeing double thru his camera's viewfinder. For some weird reason, foreign booze always got the best of him… and fast.

Akihito wasn't stupid though. He could tell his behavior was coming off as severely unprofessional and he had already sensed Megumi-san directing curious looks at him, as if she was wondering what the bloody hell was up with the young photographer that evening and why was it that he had spent all available time pointing his camera at everything around the living room except the subject of their interview, Asami Ryuuichi.

And she was right to be concerned since Akihito hadn't taken a single shot of Asami yet.

…Although in truth he'd tried. Indeed, he had! The problem was that as soon as Akihito would turn his viewfinder on the older man, Asami would catch Akihito's stare and lock gazes with him in such a way that the photographer ended up feeling like his cheeks were in a blaze.

"Shit!" Akihito cursed mentally. He needed to pull himself together. The interview was ending any minute now and judging by the way things were playing out, he doubted that Megumi-san would be giving a very favorable review of his conduct to his boss on this assignment.

So taking a deep breath, Akihito finally pointed his viewfinder at the duo sitting on the sofa in front of him and snapped as many photos as his camera would allow for the next minute or so (never mind the fact that he ended up closing his eyes during the process in order to avoid Asami's piercing gaze).

The young man was about to sigh in relief, thinking that the interview was finally over, when sly Matsumoto Megumi decided to pull a rabbit out of her sleeve.

"So Asami-san," She started; her voice mellow yet casual, even though it was clear she was fishing for something. "would you like to take a moment to address the rumors concerning your affair with actress Azumi Ryouko?"

The reactions that her question caused were nothing short of priceless.

While Akihito choked on his drink as soon as the words left her mouth and Kirishima nearly dropped the tray filled with hors d'œuvre he was holding, baffled by the reporter's insolence towards his boss' private life, Asami on his hand just stared at her as if Megumi-san had spoken some foreign unknown language.

The older man's silence didn't deter the reporter though. If anything, it only managed to spike her curiosity forward.

"Well Asami-san, you have been seen on several social occasions these past couple of months in the company of Azumi Ryouko? You don't deny this to be true, do you?"

Asami's voice was cool and composed when he answered her, although for a fraction of a second his eyes turned towards Akihito, almost as if he wanted to make sure whether or not the youngster was paying attention to the conversation.

Not that such was really needed since Akihito wasn't even bothering faking disinterest at this point.

"No. I don't deny it." Asami finally answered, turning his attention back on the reporter. "We have been seeing each other quite frequently as of late, you are correct."

Megumi-san nearly beamed in delight at his words. "So the rumors are true then? Are you two in a committed relationship?"

The smirk that appeared in Asami's lips clearly meant he was about to disappoint her though.

"We're only meeting up for professional reasons. Azumi-san is about to open a nightclub in town and has asked me to be her associate in the venture." He confessed.

Megumi-san returned his smirk in much the same way. It seemed she had anticipated that Asami would provide a foggy answer and was evidently prepared with a cunning comeback.

"And would an associate be required to spend his weekends at her luxury condo as you were reportedly seen doing over the past month?..."

This time Kirishima nearly threw the port wine bottle at the reporter's head.

Asami however remained perfectly calm albeit being aware that Akihito was looking straight at him now; the younger man's lips slightly parted in a silent gasp.

"I'm afraid your thirty minutes are up, Matsumoto-san." Asami said, getting up from the sofa in a clear indication that the interview was over. "Please give my regards to your editor and thank him on my behalf for his interest in including me in the fund raising gala's newspaper article." He added, as the reporter reluctantly got up from the sofa as well.

Megumi-san probably figured she'd been oh so close to snag the socialite scoop of the year, but her journalist spirit wasn't easily defeated.

"So will you be attending tomorrow's fund raising gala in person, Asami-san?" She asked, seeming to wish to change the topic of conversation.

"Yes, of course. Will your newspaper be covering the event as well?" The older man asked, giving Akihito another quick look.

"Yes, indeed." The woman smirked in reply. "And I can assure you that Yomiuri Shimbun's socialite department will be most interested in seeing who will be your date for the gala." She added provocatively. It seemed Asami had just started a war with Tokyo's noisiest reporter.

"Shall we go Takaba-san?" Megumi-san asked soon afterwards, turning in Akihito's direction, who was forced to snap out of his daze.

Unfortunately for the young man, his reaction ended up being a little too quick. For as soon as Akihito jumped up from the sofa he was sitting in, he felt a wave of nausea engulf him as if the port wine he'd taken was threatening not to stay in his stomach for very long.

Akihito figured he must have swayed out of balance because the reporter's tone instantly softened as she addressed him again.

"Takaba-san, are you feeling ok?"

"Yes... sure." The photographer lied, suddenly not knowing if it was he that was swaying or the living room around him.

He tried to take a few steps, but his feet ended up stumbling on each other making him plummet to the floor.

Akihito never ended up touching the ground though, although as soon as he felt two strong arms holding him up he almost wished he had.

He knew those arms all too well after all, had felt that touch against his skin numerous times before, had heard that deep, powerful voice over and over again so close to him.

"Are you alright?" Asami whispered against his ear, as he pulled Akihito back up on his feet.

A small commotion followed with Megumi-san apologizing to Asami for the trouble on Akihito's behalf (seeing as the youngster seemed too out of it to speak properly at the time), while Kirishima rushed off to the kitchen to fetch some water for the photographer.

Too late though. Before Akihito had time to register what was happening, a fierce wave of dizziness and nausea gripped his insides once again and he was forced to empty the contents of his stomach right there on Asami's expensive Armani shirt.

The funny thing was that before losing his consciousness, Akihito could have sworn he heard Asami calling out to him by his first name Akihito, like he used to when they were lovers.

(To be continued...)

A/N: Just for reference, Azumi Ryouko is the character that appears in a couple of panels alongside Asami in chapter 3 of the Pray in Abyss arc.


	5. PART V

**A/N: **Many thanks for your reviews and feedback on the story :) Hope you enjoy this chapter. Happy readings! ;)

**Regret**

**PART V**

* * *

When he finally managed to come around, Akihito wasn't certain how long it had been since he'd lost consciousness.

At first he tried opening one eye, then the other, but judging by the resistance he was facing, Akihito quickly assumed he'd been out cold for at least several hours.

His suspicion was confirmed as soon as his vision was able to focus properly, noticing the bright full moon shining down on him thru his bedroom's window.

Wait… _His_ bedroom's window? The young photographer was able to recognize the curtains framing the window well enough. His gut instinct even told him he'd been the one to buy them, but something was definitely off with that picture.

Confused by the eerie feeling creeping up inside his heart, Akihito scanned the room he was in recognizing the furniture and decorations as oddly familiar yet not being able to shake off the thought he shouldn't really be in that place at the time.

It was when he saw his favorite jacket hanging on the coat hanger, exactly where Akihito had left it 3 months before when he'd stormed out of the premises filled with anger and resentment leaving most of his possessions behind, that everything started to click into place inside his head.

Akihito was in his bedroom alright!... Just not his current one.

Of all places, the young man found himself back in the room he'd called his own for nearly two years while living under Asami's roof.

As soon as the realization sank in, Akihito panicked. He quickly sat upright in bed intend on escaping the place as soon as possible, but the action ended up causing his stomach to protest against it.

It seemed Akihito still had some wine in him threatening to come out much the same way as the last one.

He was already holding a hand to his mouth, taking deep breaths and trying his best to avoid throwing up again, when he heard a familiar voice inside the room; one that caused an unexpected tingling sensation to crawl up his spine.

"Lie back down again. It will help with the nausea." The deep voice advised.

Akihito didn't know if his heart started beating frantically due to the dizziness he was experiencing or do to the presence inside the room with him.

He turned his head slowly to the side only to find the last man he really wished to see at that moment sitting on a chair a few feet away from the bed.

He did however figured that the surprise he felt became somehow evident in his features because Asami's lips soon moved upwards in what could only be described as an amused smile.

"You're not going to throw up again, are you?" The older man asked, watching Akihito's cheeks turn red with embarrassment at the recollection.

"W-What time is it?" The youngster asked, not really knowing what else to say. Of all the scenarios that had crossed his mind regarding the outcome of his visit to Asami's apartment, he had to admit that making a fool of himself and waking up afterwards on his old bed with Asami so close by, hadn't been one of them.

Curiously though, Asami didn't seem at all phased by the whole situation. "It's close to two in the morning." He answered casually.

"_What_? !...Where…Where is Matsumoto-san?"

"She left hours ago with Kirishima. She wanted to stay behind till you woke up, but got some emergency call from her office and had to leave in a hurry. Relax though, Kirishima called her a while ago saying that you'd woken up just fine and had already gone home."

Akihito stared back at Asami feeling tongue-tied. He just wanted for a hole to open on the floor so that he could dive into it head on and hide from the world. He felt truly embarrassed over his conduct during the interview and had a feeling he was going to be scolded like hell by his boss in the morning.

"I-I should go." He said, dropping his eyes to the floor.

He was about to get up from bed when he noticed something quite obvious that had nevertheless escaped him until then.

"Hey! Where are my clothes? !" He asked surprised, peeking at his naked form under the bed cover.

"In the washing machine. You got them dirty when you threw up all over them the second time."

The second time? ! So Akihito had thrown up more than once? Oh man, would the humiliation he was feeling not end?

Akihito looked back at Asami as the older man took advantage of the break in the conversation to light up a cigarette against his lips, only to realize that the other was no longer wearing his expensive suit.

Quite the opposite actually, Asami was currently sporting the type of lounge wear Akihito remembered he used to put on after hitting the shower. Come to think of it, Asami's hair looked kind of damp at that moment which probably meant he had _had_ a shower recently, making Akihito wonder just how much he had managed to vomit over the older man.

"Sorry…" The word escaped his lips before the photographer could stop himself, causing Asami to arch an eyebrow at him.

"What for?"

"…For throwing up on you."

This time Akihito actually heard Asami chuckle; a husky, seductive sound that only he could pull off.

"Don't be. I'm sending the suit's cleaning bill to your boss." He stated, as Akihito's cheeks flushed in deeper embarrassment.

"I'm joking. Relax, will you? I didn't even like that suit anyway." Asami confessed, approaching Akihito's bed with a glass of water and a medicine bottle he'd pick up from the nearby computer desk. "Here, take this. It will help your stomach to get bet-"

He didn't end up finishing the sentence because as soon as he got close enough to the bed Akihito shuffled back in it, putting as much distance between them as possible.

"…What's the matter with you?"

"N-Nothing." The young man answered, tucking the bed cover closer to his naked body.

"No need to act all shy around me, you know? It's not like I haven't seen you naked before."

Bingo! The moment the words left Asami's mouth, Akihito's face turned impossibly redder.

For a moment the older man felt the urge to laugh at the youngster's reaction and it was with some difficulty that he managed to contain himself.

"Look, you left some clothes behind. They're all in the closet. You can switch into them while your other clothes are being washed." He said, placing the medicine down on the bedside table.

"Yeah… Thanks…"

When it seemed as though he wasn't planning to go anywhere soon, Akihito narrowed his eyes at him.

"…So are you just gonna stand there? I'd like to get dressed so I can leave."

Asami snickered at the remark. "It's 2 a.m. How are you planning to get home at this hour? Stay the night. You can leave in the morning."

"No need to. I'll manage."

"How? Are you planning to walk home, you idiot? You live on the other side of town. You'll be lucky if you'll get home by noon tomorrow."

"I _said_, I'll man-…_Hey_, wait a minute. How do you know where I live now? !"

For once Asami Ryuuichi was caught off guard, being rendered speechless by Akihito's question. That didn't last long though. Asami was back to his usual self in no time.

"Lucky guess." He retorted, albeit aware that Akihito knew him well enough to probably figure out he was lying.

A tense moment of silence followed between the two in which Asami's mind couldn't help but flash back to their last talk 3 months before. He wasn't really that keen on engaging on a fight this time around though.

"Look," He started, a hand casually running thru his hair as he tried to choose his words carefully. "There's no point in leaving in the middle of the night. It's not like you'll be able to find a cab at this hour. Besides, the way you look so pale right now, you're probably just going to end up throwing up again as soon as you hit the street."

"I'll take my chances. Now please leave the room. I want to get dressed!"

It turned out that Asami's patience ran out a lot sooner than he'd expected. "Are you trying to order me around in my own house?" He said gravely, narrowing his eyes at Akihito, who couldn't help a chill from running down his back.

Asami really knew how to sound menacing when he wanted to.

"…Will you at least turn around?" The young man asked again, albeit a lot more politely this time.

"Fine." Asami replied, turning towards the window while Akihito jumped from bed and stormed towards the closet mumbling under his breath what sounded to Asami like curses.

A few more minutes went by in silence, only interrupted by the sound of Akihito opening and closing drawers until Asami unexpectedly spoke up again; his voice a lot calmer than before.

"Just so you know, that reporter was wrong."

Akihito stopped midway of fastening the belt on his jeans, not understanding the comment.

"Matsumoto-san was wrong." Asami repeated, figuring his point hadn't gone across the first time.

"…About what?"

"Ryouko and I aren't lovers… Nor are we sleeping together."

"And what makes you think I give a damn?" Akihito replied immediately, not really wishing to acknowledge a part of him actually felt relieved by the piece of news. "Who you sleep with doesn't concern me... Sleep around with the whole bloody world if you want to."

This time around it was Asami's turn to curse, although he was wise enough not to say anything out loud. Akihito really had a way to get on his nerves fast when he wanted to.

And it seemed the young man wasn't done yet.

"You can have all the lovers and ex-wives you want. I don't give a crap!" Akihito continued, although as soon as the words left his mouth he felt like kicking himself. Furthermore, because Asami tensed up instantly in response.

"What did you just say?" He asked, turning around to face the young man directly.

"Nothing. F-Forget it." Akihito mumbled in reply, focusing his attention on putting on his jacket as a way to avoid looking at the other man. "I'm leaving now. Goodbye."

He didn't manage to go far though. Before Akihito was able to reach the door, Asami grabbed his wrist tightly, making him spin around so fast that his back ended up hitting a wall.

"Ouch! That hurt!" The youngster complained, not that the other man seemed to care at the moment judging by the dangerous look on his face, which made Akihito think he was most likely in deep trouble.

"Where did you hear that?"

"Hear what?"

"You know what! Or am I supposed to believe you threw in the word ex-wife by chance?"

Akihito felt a pang in his chest.

"…S-So it's true? You were really married before..."

Asami's subsequent silence more than answered the question for him.

"From whom did you hear it?" Asami demanded, tightening his grip on Akihito's wrist.

The young man didn't know what to think. Asami seemed almost aggravated, albeit in a very yakuza I'm-about-to-chop-some-snitcher's-head-off kind of way.

"Akihito!"

"Ok, fine. It was Matsumoto-san. She told me she'd found out you'd been married years ago, but that no one knows who you were married to."

"Did she tell you if anyone else at her newspaper knows about it?" Asami asked again, his aggravation somehow turning into carefully masked concern.

"Stop squeezing my wrist. It hurts, damn it! And no, she didn't tell me anything else…So you were married. What's the big deal? Why are you so keen on keeping it a secret anyway? Is the woman's life in danger if someone finds out? Geez, it's not like you had a kid with her or anything that you are trying to protect-"

It was a stupid comment, a spur of the moment ridiculous thought that Akihito's brain came up with and that somehow he ended up verbalizing. It wasn't supposed to have any impact on the other man really, yet as soon as he said it, Asami's demeanor changed drastically. His eyes turned icy cold, calculating, as if he was seeing Akihito for the very first time in his life and trying to figure out whether he was friend or foe. If anything, he looked more menacing than he'd ever looked in the past.

"A-Asami?" The young man mumbled, unsure of what was going on. "...Is something wrong?"

"Go." The other ordered, releasing his grip on Akihito's wrist.

"But-"

"I said, go. Leave. Now!" The last part was practically yelled.

Maybe it was the fact that he was caught off guard, but Akihito suddenly went into machine mode and made haste out of the room as fast as his legs would allow him. In fact, he only stopped when he found himself already out on the street, just outside the apartment building's lobby.

It was there Akihito also realized he was shaking like a leaf. He turned his head upwards towards Asami's penthouse, as his mind replayed the events of the last few minutes.

He had never seen Asami behave like that, and although Akihito was sure it was not directed at him, there had definitely been a murderous glow on the other man's eyes just now.

"What was that all about?" Akihito mumbled quietly to himself.

Something told him he had just gotten a glimpse of the _real_ Asami Ryuuichi…

(to be continued…)

* * *

**A/N:** Next chapter: Akihito tries to dig into Asami's past and the fund raising gala turns into a jealousy fest ha ha


	6. PART VI

**Many thanks for your feedback on the story :))) Hope you enjoy this chapter as well. Happy readings!**

**Regret**

**PART VI**

* * *

Akihito stared at his wristwatch for the third time in the last five minutes, but for some reason time just wasn't on his side that night.

No matter how much he begged, it just wouldn't go by more quickly, leaving the young man to wander aimlessly thru the throng of celebrities and VIPs attending the fund raising gala while desperately trying to avoid a certain someone's path.

As if on cue though, Akihito heard _his_ voice again close by and despite his better judgment found himself discreetly looking the other man's way, albeit first seeking refuge behind his camera's viewfinder.

Akihito could always pretend he was taking some random photographs of the group Asami was part of. He was one of the official photographers appointed for the event after all.

So training his ears to pick up on the sounds coming from the nearby group, Akihito tried to listen in on the conversation.

It wasn't long before he could tell some serious 'bootlicking' was taking place...

One of the men Asami was with happened to be a famous banker in town and judging by the way he kept praising Asami and his businesses, it was clear the banker was trying to get the other man to join his client portfolio.

Akihito knew quite well the look on Asami's face as the banker addressed him though, and quickly found himself smiling behind the camera.

"Give it up old man. Not happening in this lifetime!" He mumbled towards the banker, aware his words wouldn't reach the group.

It didn't take long for the business man to realize he was fighting a losing battle, but he was saved the embarrassment of having to come up with a new topic of conversation by a sudden arrival to the group… one that caused Akihito's jaw to tighten despite himself.

From exactly where Azumi Ryouko had materialized from all of a sudden, the young man couldn't tell. He had however come to realize that she had a knack to pop up out of nowhere without warning.

She had already done the same on a few different occasions throughout the night and had just pulled it off again, sliding gracefully right beside Asami.

Akihito soon found himself biting his lower lip again, a habit he seemed to had picked up every time the woman would appear in the picture.

He had to admit she was a knockout though.

Amazingly built, her body appeared to have been sculpted rather than being the result of genes and chance. The same could be said for her face that made any famous painter's muse look like an old hag.

At 33 years old, Azumi Ryouko was at the top of her game, having made a name for herself as a famous actress abroad for the past 5 years. Now that she had returned home though, she was one of the most sought out actresses in the country.

She was revered and idolized by the masses and it was undeniable that the whole room that night was at her feet… Fact which she appeared to be well aware of.

For there was one thing that the actress did not lack at all, apart from beauty and elegance,…and that was confidence.

Azumi Ryouko exuded charisma and magnetism from practically every pore. She was definitely a powerhouse, with a strong personality to match.

Not that Akihito cared to think of it, but if asked if she reminded him of someone, he would probably say…well… Asami.

Azumi Ryouko resembled without a doubt a female version of Asami Ryuuichi in terms of character and presence, which for a moment had made the young man worry.

Akihito wasn't stupid after all, and following his cryptic conversation with the older man the night before, any woman that came five feet from Asami was inevitably followed with suspicion by the photographer.

And to say that Azumi Ryouko hadn't been at the top of Akihito's list of prospective Asami ex-wives would be a lie.

The young man had realized something was off regarding her behavior towards his former lover as soon as he'd first seen the duo talking to each other at the gala.

There was definitely some level of closeness between them; something that clearly surpassed a professional or business-like relationship, but as the night progressed, Akihito became more and more convinced that Asami hadn't lied to him the night before and that he and the actress were not lovers after all.

If anything, Asami seemed to 'tolerate' her presence around him, as he would if he were to meet someone with equal power or personality traits, but he didn't bestow on the actress any particular degree of special attention, seeming actually almost content when she'd choose to leave his side and go off to spread her charm somewhere else around the room.

Truth be told, Akihito couldn't sense any sort of romantic inclination towards the older man from Azumi Ryouko either.

She didn't act awed or star struck in Asami's presence and didn't make the slightest effort to charm him in any way, and yet… yet Akihito couldn't shake off the feeling that something else was there.

That they both shared some sort of odd connection, as if they'd known each other from long ago, even though he'd never heard her name being pronounced by Asami in the years they'd both lived together.

The annoying thing was that Akihito could never get close enough to the duo to listen in on their conversation without making his presence known to his former lover.

For as soon as Asami sensed Akihito was around he would lock eyes with him making the photographer extremely uncomfortable.

The older man had already tried to pull Akihito aside twice that night, seemingly intent on trying to tell him something, but on both occasions the young man had managed to successfully slip away from him.

They had been so on edge with each other the night before that the last thing Akihito wanted was for a similar altercation to repeat itself and end up causing a hell of a scene at the gala.

Avoiding to engage in conversation with Asami did not necessarily mean that Akihito could avoid Asami altogether though, and the older man sure made a point of making his presence known to the youngster whenever their eyes met, causing a fire to burn deep inside Akihito… exactly as it was happening now.

Which was why as soon as a waiter walked by Akihito with a tray filled with cool beverages, the photographer took hold of the opportunity to break eye contact with the older man, reaching for a glass of bubbling champagne from the tray.

The glass was already halfway to his mouth when a hand shot out of nowhere taking the drink swiftly away from him.

"Oh no, you don't!" Matsumoto Megumi said, appearing unexpectedly besides Akihito.

"Come on, Matsumoto-san. It's just a glass of champagne."

"Listen here, Akihito-kun. There is not a chance in hell I'm letting you drink even an ounce of alcohol tonight." The reporter warned, suddenly lowering her voice. "Have you already forgotten what happened last night?" She asked, making Akihito's face flush with embarrassment at the recollection.

"No…Of course I haven't."

"Very well then. I already had a hard time covering up for you in front of your boss. Do you have any idea of the amount of trouble you'd be in if he'd find out you drank as much as you did on the job?"

This time Akihito blushed visibly. Where was that damn hole on the floor when you needed it?

Thankfully for him, the reporter's scolding was short lived as Akihito soon heard her chuckle.

"Well, it was a slightly amusing situation I'm not going to lie. You should have seen the look on Asami-san assistant's face. He went absolutely frantic when he saw the vomit stains on the carpet and once he realized you'd actually thrown up on his boss' suit… You should have seen the way he panicked. Why it almost seemed as though Asami-san had been shot or something."

Akihito found himself smiling despite the embarrassing memories. Knowing how Kirishima was so zealous of Asami and his appearance, the young man could very well imagine the scene that had taken place.

"Although…" Matsumoto-san added suddenly, making Akihito return to the present.

"Although what?"

"…Are you sure you never met Asami Ryuuichi before?" The woman asked; her eyes narrowing at him inquisitively.

"W-What? ! O-Of course not! Where would I have met a guy like him? It's not like we move around in the same circles on a daily basis."

Somehow the reporter didn't seem fully convinced.

"Why did you ask that anyway?"

"Well, maybe I heard it wrong… After all, I was halfway along to the kitchen in search of Kirishima-san at the time, but I could have sworn…"

"…Sworn what?"

"…I could have sworn Asami-san called you 'Akihito' a little while after you passed out."

The round of applauses that suddenly erupted throughout the room as the gala's host appeared on the front stage of the venue, saved Akihito from having to comment on the incident, but it didn't prevent the flutter he felt in his chest, as soon as he heard Matsumoto-san's words.

Crap! So he'd been right all along. Asami had indeed called him by his first name. What the hell had gone thru the older man's mind at the time? Was he insane? Calling him 'Akihito' in from of the nosiest reporter in Tokyo? Why not call her newspaper directly and announce they'd slept together for the better part of two years?

"That's odd!" Matsumoto-san said, her attention suddenly diverted somewhere else, as the gala's host commenced his speech.

"What is it?"

"Azumi Ryouko's publicist is calling me over." She observed, pointing towards a short middle aged man not too far away from them. "I wonder what he wants… Stay here Akihito! I might need you to take some photos for the news' article soon." She added, starting towards the publicist, but not before severely warning Akihito to not even think to go near alcohol while she was away.

No sooner than the reporter turned her back on the photographer than he completely ignored her words though, making his way to the nearby bar area intent on getting himself a drink no matter what.

He had already ordered a mojito and was so distracted watching the barman preparing it that he almost didn't hear his colleague speak up.

"And what will you be having, sir?" The second barman asked someone standing behind the photographer.

"Another scotch on ice." A familiar deep voice replied, making Akihito jump up on the bar stool he was sitting on as if he'd been shot by a Taser gun.

Oh no, oh hell no! Not him. Not after Akihito had so carefully avoided him all night.

Asami must had sensed the young man was about to make a dash for it because he soon sat on the bar stool beside him, half-blocking Akihito's escape route.

"Don't leave. I just want to talk. It will only take a minute anyway." The older man said, as Akihito's bartender finally handed him his drink.

The photographer still pondered with the idea of ignoring the remark and making a run for it, but at the last second decided against it. There was something about the way the other man had been staring at him for a while now that made him stick around despite the fact that half of his brain was ordering him otherwise.

His reply to Asami's request nevertheless sounded as dry as cement. "What do you want?" He asked, appearing to be a lot more disinterested than he actually was.

"…Should you be having that drink?" Asami said in return, eyeing the mojito with suspicion.

"What is it to you?" The young man replied unamused. Geez, what was up with everyone trying to babysit him that night?

"I reckon you feel better from your stomach then."

"I guess…So what?"

"…How did you get home yesterday?"

"I didn't."

"What?"

"I slept in the park in front of your apartment building and took the subway home in the morning."

"You slept in the park? ! Have you no sense of bloody dang-?" The older man stopped himself before finishing the sentence, taking a sip from his scotch in order to keep himself from cursing out loud.

Akihito suppressed the urge to pull his tongue out at the older man. What was up with him anyway? A little too late to act concerned wasn't he, considering how Asami had been the one to practically kick him out of the apartment the night before?

The young man really didn't see where the conversation was going. He tried spotting Matsumoto-san from where he was sitting, hoping she'd call him over to take the photos she'd mentioned earlier, but the reporter seemed to still be engrossed in conversation with Azumi-san's publicist, not requiring his assistance any time soon.

"I'm sorry I yelled at you last night."

The words sounded so out of character to Akihito that at first he thought they had come from someone else sitting at the bar counter. In fact, it took him a full blown minute to realize they'd come out of Asami's mouth.

"Huh? ! !" Was the only expression Akihito managed to come up with. For a second he feared someone had somehow spiked his drink and that he was in fact hearing things.

"…I said, I'm sorry I yelled at you yesterday… I shouldn't have lashed out at you." Asami repeated, aware that Akihito was staring at him as if he was some sort of alien.

"Did…Did you just apologize?" The young man asked incredulously, watching the older man's lips morph into a thin line.

"That's beside the point. Anyway, I came here to tell you that the reporter that was with you yesterday is going to ask you to join her for an interview with Azumi Ryouko."

_Ok_…now Akihito was confused.

"…She is?"

"Yes… And you are going to refuse the assignment."

"Huh? ! And why would I do that?"

"Because I said so, that's why." Asami replied matter-of-factly, as if it was the most obvious answer in the world.

Unfortunately for him, Akihito didn't seem to agree on the matter.

"H-Have you gone mental or something? ! What makes you think I'd listen to you?"

"I don't want you near Ryouko." The older man answered calmly, directing his attention back to his drink.

"And why the hell not? !"

It took so long for Asami to reply that Akihito thought he was purposely being ignored and a sudden urge to punch the other man across the face started to manifest inside him.

It was either Asami's following words though or perhaps even the cryptic way he said them that caused Akihito to momentarily let go of his violent thoughts.

"That woman is too dangerous… I don't want you near her." He was looking straight at Akihito now; the young man feeling the full intensity of his gaze.

That didn't stop the young man from asking though. "Why?...Why is she dangerous?"

It was not like the actress was a physical threat to anyone. She looked as light as a feather.

"Just stop being stubborn for once and do as you're told."

"You're avoiding the subject, you know?" Akihito accused, watching as Asami huffed impatiently.

"It should be enough that I tell you to stay away from her."

"And why the hell would _that_ be enough? Are you under the delusion you own me or something?"

It was clear by Asami's subsequent silence that that was probably still the case, which only managed to infuriate Akihito further.

Instead of replying though, the young man vented his frustration by gulping down the rest of his drink in one go.

"Bartender, another one please." He asked as soon as the glass was empty.

"You really shouldn't be drinking anymore."

"Mind your own business, will you? No one asked your opinion!" Akihito retorted immediately, watching Asami's lips suppress a curse or two. It was clear the older man was not used to being addressed in such a harsh tone.

"What is up between you and that woman anyway?" Akihito asked, as his second mojito arrived. "She keeps clinging to you any chance she gets."

"And does that make you feel jealous?"

"As if!" The photographer retorted immediately, nonetheless noticing the grin on Asami's face.

"We're just old acquaintances, that's all… We've known each other for many years."

Again, that odd look in Asami's eyes as he pronounced the words…

"So what?" Akihito joked. "Does that mean she has any dirt on you? Is that why you allow her to hang around so close to you?"

He would have added more, but the look that Asami gave him at that point seemed pretty indicative that Akihito hadn't been too far from the truth.

"Just promise me you'll stay away from that woman, ok?" Although Asami's tone was still bossy, for once it sounded more like he was making a request than actually giving an order.

Akihito was about to ask him what the bloody hell was going on after all, when he was suddenly interrupted.

"Huh…Takaba-san?" He recognized Matsumoto-san's voice instantly and sure enough as soon as she looked behind him, there was the reporter; her eyes going from Akihito to Asami, back to the photographer again, making the young man wonder how much of their conversation had she actually been able to hear.

That thought was soon put aside though, as Akihito realized the reporter was not alone.

Right beside her was none other than Azumi Ryouko's publicist.

"Ah, Asami-san." The man started. "How fortunate to find you here as well! I was just speaking with Matsumoto-san from Yomiuri Shimbun. She was telling me that just yesterday she had the chance to interview you along with this young man. Takaba Akihito, I believe." He added, nodding towards the young photographer, who bowed to him in greeting.

As for Asami, he just nodded back at the man in reply to his comments. He looked as though he had anticipated his presence along with the reporter's all along but did not seem one bit amused by it.

"Yes, that was what I hoped." The publicist continued nonetheless. "Taking advantage of the opportunity presented by the gala, Azumi-san thought it would be beneficial to arrange an interview for the newspaper featuring both of you, in order to promote the new club you will be opening together. She's quite a fan of Matsumoto-san's columns in the newspaper and thought-"

"That won't be necessary." Asami cut him off. "We have other means of publicizing the club."

"But-"

"I'll speak with Azumi-san regarding this, don't worry. There is no need to schedule an interview."

"Are you being difficult again, Asami?" A crystalline voice cut thru the air, diverting everyone's attention.

Akihito looked behind the publicist only to find that Azumi Ryouko herself had joined the group managing to pull a stunt again and appear out of thin air.

"Azumi-san!" Her employee exclaimed, glad for her support. "I was just presenting the idea of the interview we spoke about earlier on to Asami-san."

"And as usual he was refusing, correct?" The actress added, an amused smile appearing on her seductive lips.

"We can publicize the club well enough without having to give any interviews to the press." Asami stated, but the actress's smile only managed to widen at his predictable display of stubbornness.

"Give me a few minutes will you, Nanase-san?" She told her publicist. "I'm sure I'll be able to convince Asami-san of the benefits of this interview. In the meantime, you can continue to discuss all the necessary details with Matsumoto-san. You'll need to work around my schedule of course. Remember, I have a few press meetings in the next couple of days."

As the man walked away with the reporter, the actress finally seem to acknowledge Akihito's presence, but just as the photographer was preparing to walk away himself, intent on leaving the other two alone to talk in peace, the woman's next words completely floored him.

"Well, well, Ryuuichi. I have to admit this one is quite the cutie." The actress stated, staring at Akihito from head to toe; her previous smile morphing into a grin. "Then again, you always did have impeccable taste when it came to your lovers. I should have expected your Takaba Akihito's looks to be above average."

It was hard for the young man to mask his surprise at the woman's remark. How was it possible that she knew about him and Asami? He quickly looked towards the older man, but for once Asami's eyes were not on him, as if he'd purposely averted them from the youngster at that point to hide some degree of guilt on the subject.

"Why, he is so handsome I almost feel tempted to steal him away from you, Ryuuichi." The actress continued, trying to get closer to Akihito, but being swiftly stopped in the process by Asami grabbing her wrist and holding her back in place.

"Ryouko…" His tone was a clear warning sign, as were his eyes which narrowed menacingly at her.

She didn't seem at all phased by Asami's threat though. "Oh, relax." She told him. And then looking back at Akihito: "You'll have to excuse Ryuuichi. He was never too fond of sharing his toys with anyone. But then again, you've probably figured that out by now." She shrugged. "Some people just don't change and Ryuuichi here was always such a spoiled brat! Why, I remember one time when he was sixteen-"

"Enough Ryouko!" Asami interjected; his harsh tone clearly indicating that he was on the verge of losing his patience with her.

"What? ! What's wrong with sharing an amusing story regarding your youth with your lover?...Unless…" She said, suddenly eyeing the older man with suspicion. "Oh, Ryuuichi!" She exclaimed, finally realizing what was going on. "Don't tell me you have never told this poor boy anything regarding your past? What a heartless lover you are!"

Akihito stared at the scene playing in front of him, as though he was somehow dreaming it, instead of experiencing it firsthand.

He still didn't know what the hell was going on or what degree of connection was there between the woman and Asami, but even though his mind was ordering him to leave the duo alone and get out of that place as soon as possible, his feet just didn't seem to want to obey.

"Oh but wait a minute…" The actress resumed, suddenly remembering something. "If this heartless man has never told you anything about himself…Then you have no idea who I am, do you Akihito-kun?"

That was the breaking point for Asami, it seemed. He soon got up from the bar stool, grabbing the woman's upper arm, seemingly intent on dragging her away from the area with him. "We're leaving." He said, although it sounded like he was communicating an order to her.

Oddly enough, his reaction only managed to increase the grin on her lips. "Ouch, Ryuuichi. Don't be so rough…Is that any way to treat family?"

Family! ? As soon as the word left her mouth, Akihito felt his heart starting to race. What did the woman mean by 'family'?

"Will you stop with that nonsense already? We're not family." He heard Asami practically hiss at the actress. He had a feeling this wasn't the first time the subject had come up in conversation between them, but it didn't seem that the woman was about to concede on her views on the subject.

"Such a fierce expression in your eyes! You know very well that I'm the closest thing you'll ever get to one."

By then even the bartenders had realized something was up between their two VIP customers, but only Akihito was able to conjure any theories to try to explain the odd behavior of the duo.

…He didn't know how to explain what prompted him to speak up at that point. He didn't even realize he was thinking about it until he heard himself say the words out loud and the couple in front of him stopped quarreling immediately.

"Are you Asami's ex-wife?" Was Akihito's unexpected question.

At first it seemed the woman hadn't heard Akihito at all.

She stayed motionless for a couple of seconds, an almost shocked expression visible in her features, but soon enough she started…laughing.

And not light or forced laughter, but a truly whole hearted one, as if she'd never heard anything more amusing in her life.

"Oh, how refreshingly clueless you are, Akihito-kun!" She said, turning towards the young man. " I can see why Ryuuichi likes you. But no boy, I'm definitely not his ex-wife." She clarified, as her lips lifted upwards in a conceited smile. "I'm his sister."

**(to be continued…)**


End file.
